Quilt Guild and Quilts of Valor

First, the giveaway will have to wait till after the New Year.  I don't know about you, but, I'm so behind.......  I'm hoping I can get caught up soon.

Wow!  I haven't been blogging, but, I have been working hard on projects.  I really need to get my NewFO post up.  I totally missed Octobers post. 

Monday night was my little guild's Christmas party.  Everyone had a chance to make and exchange a snowman block.  We made these blocks in either 14.5" or 16.5" squares, so that they could be turned into pillows if wanted.  I've got more pillows than I know what to do with, so, I'll probably turn the block I received into a center of a quilt, or, make a small table topper with it. 

This is the block that I made.

the block I made, 16.5" square

up close of the center of the block

My block was based on a snowman block from Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, vol.6.

block in this issue, see it, 2nd on the cover

this is what I based my block on, yes, I changed it up a bit (as usual)

this is what can be done with this block (included in the front of the issue)(sorry for the glare)

I may have to make another block, just for me.  It was fun and easy!

Here are the other blocks that were exchanged.

front of block

this was included as a backing for a pillow, etc

embroidered

sewing themed snowman

this one has a knitted hat, and lots of other 3D things added

Here is the block I received.  It is now pinned to my design wall.

block made by Jinnie (in wool)

There were also lots of other goodies handed out.  I didn't get pictures of all of them.

snap purse made by Marilyn

inside of my snap purse

my 'treat' that was in the snap purse

whole box of chocolate goodies (these will be horded away in my sewing room)

snowman & napkin ring made by Thelma

lavender filled sachet, also made by Thelma

On Tuesday, it was Quilts of Valor sew-in at Prairie Shop Quilts in Batavia.  We had a soldier come in and he was presented with a quilt. 

Quilts of Valor presentation

I also finished a quilt top at the sew-in (and remembered to take a picture).

quilt top I finished for Quilts of Valor

There were lots of show and tell quilts and tops, but, I didn't have my camera out.  Info is on the blog along with a link to the story that the local newspaper did about the presentation.  If you go look at the picture gallery with the article, I'm in the 3rd picture, far right, sewing my blocks together. 

Oh yes, I have had a small bit of time to visit a few thrift stores in the past month.  I found 2 treasures that I thought you might be interested in.

lovely Christmas wall hanging

on the bottom back corner of the log cabin wreath quilt

twister wall hanging

I just couldn't resist these.  I just don't understand when people put something like this at the thrift store.  Oh well, 'I' appreciate all the work that went into each of these.

A (very late) Finish and some Christmas Joy!

I finally finished the binding on a graduation quilt.  I've never had so much trouble with a binding before.  I purchased a lovely variegated thread to go with the binding.  I sewed the binding on the back of the quilt, not the front, so that I could use a fancy stitch to finish off the binding.  Well,  I finally pulled out the quilt to get the binding done, but, I discovered that the thread that I'd purchased was nylon (shame on me for not reading the packaging and trusting that it was in the correct place at the store).  The thread kept shredding and breaking.  I finally gave up, and pulled out my seam ripper, and took all the thread out.  YUK!  I changed to a blue variegated thread, then changed the stitch pattern, and finished the quilt binding.  Yipee!

Caitlyn's quilt

Caitlyn and Erika came over last night to help me decorate the tree.  Caitlyn helped me last year.  She's such a sweetie!  I surprised her with her quilt when I shut the front door, and there it was.  Caitlyn knew about the quilt.  I'd shown it to her last summer, then took it back to finish (then didn't get it done).  Caitlyn wore the quilt home, like a shawl.  Wish I'd gotten a picture of that.  But, I did get a picture of Caitlyn with her quilt.

Caitlyn and her quilt

Erika helped decorate the tree.  She thinks we have way too many ornaments on the tree.  I told her that you can NEVER have too many ornaments.  She loved hearing the 'story' about most of the ornaments, as I unwrapped them.  She liked that I knew where most of them came from, and that most of them have special meaning for our family. 

Erika decorating the tree

I purchased a quilt at one of my quilt guilds 'shop' at the quilt show.  I love this quilt.  Christine has been a member of both of my guilds at one time or another.  This quilt hangs on the back of the front door, and I see it every time I come down the stairs. 

Christine's log cabin quilt

I'm planning on putting up more than one tree this year.  My youngest son loves to put up the tree that I purchased way back when I was in 6th grade.  This poor tree looks like Charlie Brown's reject tree. 

my tree from 6th grade

Not to get the lights on it, and decorations.  It really does look better after the decorations are added, poor tree.  Now to see how many other trees get put up in the house this  year.  I have 2 more mini trees out, but, I don't know where the decorations for them are, yet. 

I have a busy week.  It's my turn to cook for the Wednesday night meal at church.  I've already cooked the chicken (it's cooling now) and I'll be mixing the chicken spaghetti later this morning. 

I have to finish decorating, watch the last night of Dancing With the Stars, clean house, and get ready for a blogger buddy and her hubby to come for a visit on Thursday, all the way from Australia.  What fun! 

What are your plans this week? 

Almost a month since I last posted. Catching up!

Connor & friend decorating the tree

dining room 'sewing space'

 Boy has it been busy around here!  I can't believe it's been almost a month since I last posted.  This post is going to cover most of December.  I'll try to be quick about it.

Well, I missed 'Occupy Your Sewing Space', at least, I missed blogging about it and reading all the blogs.  I DID get my sewing space(s) cleaned up.  I've been so busy this summer and fall that I have hardly had time to do much housework.  Oops!  Boy did stuff build up around here. 

family room 'sewing space'

occupy your sewing room project

 My dining room is usually covered with quilting stuff.  My quilt frame (hand quilting) is set up just behind the dining room table, leading into the living room.  It acts as a divider to the two rooms, since there isn't a wall.  You can see my sewing machine case and sewing stuff behind the table by the china cabinet.  That is the stuff that NEVER goes into the basement with the other quilting stuff.

I like to set up a sewing machine in the family room, so that I can watch (listen really) to movies while I sew.  I took the table down, but, I added another quilting frame in it's place so that I could work on the Christmas presents during 'Occupy Your Sewing Space'.  This stayed up until Christmas Eve.  There just wasn't enough time to get much sewing done.  I hand quilted the 'Santa' applique blocks, but, to get everything finished, I machine quilted the other 'Santa' blocks.  I just stitched in the ditch on them. 

Christmas napkins from Marilyn

I have wonderful and generous quilting friends.  Marilyn made these Christmas tree napkins for us for Christmas.  My youngest son collects nutcrackers, so, she made the nutcracker napkins for the boys.  She even made a special napkin for my mother, who came up for Christmas.  Isn't that sweet of her!?!

Christmas ornament from Kay

My bestest ever quilting friend, Kay, made me this lovely Christmas Angel ornament.  She also made one for my mother. 

Christmas gifts from Jan & Mary

Connor in 'Mr. OEHS'

me, Connor, hubby and my mother

kitchen 'before'

Christopher in kitchen 'during'

kitchen 'after'

treadle from Kay

treadle from Kay

I sew on Thursdays with some special ladies.  These are a few of the things they gave me for Christmas.  Mary gave me a 'Really Useful Box' (it says that on the end of the box), along with preserves and the cute Santa tissues.  Jan gave me the great scissors.  Sew cute! 

treadle from Kay

Christmas presents finally finished

Christmas presents finally finished

My mother flew in early so that she could be at the 'Mr. OEHS' contest that my youngest son was in.  He sang a song from 'Mulan', 'Man out of you' for his talent.  He did a great job.  I got to escort him on stage at the start.  All the guys wore tux's.  They did a dance number, just like on a beauty pageant.  They all had so much fun!  Connor didn't win, but, he never expected to win.  He was just in it for the fun.  This was his second year to enter.  Connor is quite the ham.










My favorite present (other than having my boys and my mother here) was the new back splash in my kitchen.  I've been wanting this for a few years now. (What, your kitchen cabinets aren't this messy?)


John (hubby) and oldest son, Christopher spent two days putting up the back splash.  They waited until after Christmas, thank goodness.  Can you see how Christopher had to sit IN the sink to measure and put up the corner pieces?  That corner goes WAY back. 

Here is the finished kitchen.  They also put up the back splash under the half wall Christopher was sitting against, but, I didn't take pictures of that area.  I covered the outlet covers and painted the screws for them.  (Hint: never use Styrofoam to hold screws when you are going to paint them.  Styrofoam MELTS when it is spray painted). 


Kay gave me a treadle for Christmas!  Woohoo!  This is the cutest sewing box!  It has a storage space for my sewing tools under the cute dutch dolls.  Kay saw this and immediately thought of me.  Gee, how'd she ever think of me and treadle sewing machines at the same time?  (wink, wink).

Well, I finally finished the Christmas presents the day AFTER Christmas.  So much for being on time this year.  I'm usually finished with presents long before Thanksgiving.  Of course, I don't usually make the presents.  Did I mention that I'm a slow sewer and quilter?  These are the blocks I made for the Santa block exchange for one of my quilt guilds (see last post).  I made 6 as gifts, and I kept one of each for myself.  I also gave frames to everyone that got a Santa block quilt.

I'll try to post (shorter) posts more often in the new year!  Merry Christmas and Happy 2012!